Shadow Saga
by FlamingWolf
Summary: A Sailor MoonGundam Wing crossover. Evil and new senshi, etc.
1. Shadow of a Doubt

Author's Note: Zandramas is another name for Chaos. Enough said on that topic. Basi is a person's life force (Celtic tradition). It can be drained into a stone and later pulled out when needed to enhance speed, agility, and other abilities. I will not touch on the disadvantages here, because they are not needed. Also I apologize. I know nothing of Shintoism, thus the table of the western ideals of the best time for fortune telling. Also, there are several references to Rings. A certain group (on the Internet) claims that in a later manga (not yet come to the States), Treize is found to be alive and to have created the technology to shrink MS's down to fit inside a tenth of an inch ring to safely be hidden on the pilot's hand. Long story, I'll not go into it here. Also, despite the fact that Wufei is Chinese in origin, there are some debates that he was raised in Japan, and I needed him at Rei's temple, like it or not. R&R, flames welcome. Chapter One of the Shadow Saga.  
  
Shadow of a Doubt Night Star  
  
The Well of Time, Dimension Four Morgana, the Goddess of Time, held out her staff and dipped it into the gigantic well, stopping the continuous flow of events. She watched intently for a while from her perch on the edge of the well. She sighed wearily. Morgana had seen it before. This had happened in the Silver Millennium and before that in the Diamond Eon, and back and back, time without end. "Dark Dome Protection," she murmured in her vibrant voice. The powerful shield formed over the well, guarding it from any danger. She stood there for a moment in the exact center of the fourth dimension, getting her bearings, then strode gracefully through the purple mists until she arrived outside the Gates. She spoke in an ancient tongue, and it opened. The Goddess of Pluto turned to greet her. "Sailor Time." "Sailor Pluto." The sisters embraced, and Morgana became businesslike again. "Look, Setsuna. Ueno Koen." Obediently her elder sister parted the current and watched in surprise as a Tallgeese landed in the park. She said softly, "Welcome to the Era of Crystal Tokyo, God of Light." Morgana looked searchingly at her sibling and asked sharply, "You do realize what this means?" Setsuna nodded and answered in a quaking voice, "The Dark One is returning." Morgana gazed into her scrying mirror and spoke to the image of the tall, noble man, "The Silver Gate has missed you, Milliardo Peacecraft."  
  
  
  
Daeminas Chateau, Dimension Twenty-six The tall figure uncrossed her long legs and stood as a dark robed man entered the room. Her voice emerged as a rich purr. "Well, Obsidian? What have you found for me?" The dark man sank into an obeisance before her, quaking at the sight of her seemingly pupil-less, ruthless aqua eyes. "The reports are in, esteemed Shadow. Several immortals inhabit the planet Terra, called Earth by its inhabitants." The woman Shadow nodded majestically, then meditated a moment on his news before saying softly, "So I am not the first to have found my way back to Earth. Good." She looked down at Obsidian and commanded briskly, "Only attack Norms. Leave the Immortals to me." Obsidian bowed his head, still kneeling before her. "Very good, my queen. Is there a specific target?" The dark woman closed her eyes. She pushed her memory back, back to the beginning of her rise to greatness, before her horrid childhood as a "norm" raised in a small town in the Midwest of the US, before her rebirth. A curtain of light was erected, separating her past life from the one she was living now. Her mind flinched from the brightness, but she forced herself through. Again, she relived the betrayal, saw the destruction of the planet she loved--- ---'By my own hand!'--- ---To a time before the rise of the Silver Millennium. In torment, she saw the early battles by the sides of those she had counted friends, the woman she had followed as her Queen and her daughter, Neo-Serenity and Rini. 'If as in the past, before the struggle with Chaos-' She mused to herself and said aloud, "The Goddess of the Moon associates with a Norm called Naru. Capture or kill her, I care not which, but I repeat, leave the Immortals to me." She blinked, trying to keep the high-ranking warrior before her from seeing her weakness; the tears of past treachery fall from her eyes. 'Haruka, Jeleia, sword sisters, I thought you cared for me. And Milliardo, my love---' The final name caused the most pain. Obsidian looked apprehensively at her a moment, fearing her wrath at such presumption, but he gathered his courage and asked, "You will become directly involved? Ever before this, you have only commanded. Why involve yourself with the Immortals, Lady Shadow?" The woman gave a rough bark of laughter and shook the dark brown braid of her hair behind her shoulders. The unadorned black gown flowed gracefully around her as she stepped forward to the edge of the dais. "Even after fighting Eternal Lethe, you did not recognize me? You did not see this as the raiment of an Immortal? Open your eyes, Obsidian!" The man trembled as she continued, "I am Leila Daegil, or in the tongue of the Ancient Ones, 'Night of the Shadowed Star'. But beyond this persona, that of an ancient, earthly queen, I am the Eternal Sailor Shadow, and I have returned to Earth at last, not to defend, but to conquer."  
  
  
  
An apartment in Tokyo, Dimension Three Mamoru, trembling, bolted upright in his bed, screaming a warning in the ancient Elysian tongue, "Serenity beware! The renegade has returned!" He reflected on the dream that had awakened him. A woman who seemed oddly familiar and an unknown man had been discussing--- It was becoming confused. He no longer remembered of what they had been speaking. He leaned back against the pillows, trying to recall the hallucination, but it refused to become clear again. He was sure of only one thing: Usagi was in danger.  
  
  
  
Hakawa Shrine, Dimension Three Rei sat up with a gasp. A senshi had visited in a dream, discussing an attack on Naru. Rei glanced at the clock. It was five AM. She'd never get back to sleep. Cursing the mysterious senshi, she rose and dressed. She glanced at a table on the wall. It was the hour of the moon on a Monday, during a waxing, the moon nearly full. You couldn't ask for a better time to search the future. She went to the sacred fire and performed the seeing ritual. The flames roared to life, and the visions thrust their way into her consciousness. Senshi. Attack. Calamity welled to cover the moon. A planet was destroyed. A time of betrayal, a time of love. Usagi was attacked by the dark senshi. A great twilight enfolded the light. A luminous God cried over the body of the silent senshi who had assaulted Usagi. And through it all, Rei knew she saw not the future, but the past. The visions ceased, leaving Rei drained physically and mentally. As she struggled to return to herself, a final illusion glowed in the embers. A young Chinese boy took her into his arms.  
  
  
  
Tallgeese, Ueno Koen, Dimension Three Milliardo passed his finger over the white stone on his right hand. The MS retracted into the stone and the man walked to his newly rented apartment in an unalert exhaustion. Wearily, he threw himself down on the couch and immediately was thrust into a deep sleep. And again the dream haunted him. The regal woman looked at him, tears streaming freely down her cheeks. "How could you allow her to do that to me, Milliardo?" Pain wracked him as he looked at the weeping figure. "Leila, beloved, you know I never meant for you to be hurt. Come to me, let me help you!" He begged her. She reached for him. Their hands met, but some outside force tore her violently from him. With a despairing cry, he flung himself forward to catch her, but she was gone. He fought the thick mists, searching desperately for her. Again, as he had every night for the past five years, he swore violently into the fog hiding her from him, "I'll find you, my love, and no one will ever hurt you again!" He awoke stiff, to find tears on his face. 'Who are you? Do you even exist?' He wondered again. 'What did I do to you?' Frustrated he checked the clock. Five a.m. He turned to his laptop, trying to raise Lucrezia at the Terraforming Project Center on Mars. No answer. Milliardo left the apartment with a sigh. He returned to Ueno Koen and activated his Tallgeese. He leaned back, relaxing as he left the Earth behind and rose through the atmosphere. Space was always beautiful, always calming. No matter how much things surface-side changed, space was always the same, always peaceful. He sat bolt upright again with a cry of horrified shock as he finally saw the space-scape before him. There was nothing but emptiness between him and the moon. There was no sign of the colonies. Inexplicably, millions of people had disappeared.  
  
  
  
Tokyo Docks, Dimension Three In shock, the five pilots landed in the abandoned dockyard. As the retracted the Gundams, Duo said hoarsely, "I don't believe it! How can the SIDES have just disappeared like that?" Heero "Hn"ed, not believing it himself. Wufei merely shrugged and growled, "We can discuss it at the Safehouse." Quatre seconded the suggestion with "He's right, guys. Someone may have seen the Gundams as we landed. I- I think I'll talk to the embassy about this," as he started off towards the main part of the city. Wufei followed with no explanation of his destination, and Trowa nodded, got on the motorcycle and left, driving along the shoreline. Duo pulled his cap down low over his eyes and started off down the road in another direction. Heero, too, began to leave, vaguely thinking about contacting Relena. However, a moment later he paused, then spun at the whine of an approaching MS. Heero waited, gun in hand, as the MS landed and Treize Kushrenada, debonair as ever, exited Epyon and returned it to the ring. Heero raised an eyebrow. "Treize Kushrenada. What is a dead man doing piloting Epyon?" "Looking for you, Heero Yuy. I expected you to know something about the disappearance of the colonies." Heero shook his head slowly, distrusting Treize, who shrugged, turned, and began to walk off. Then suddenly, the ex-officer paused and turned, asking, "Have you in your travels ever run across a woman by the name of Glana?" The sound of the name hit Heero like a bullet. He didn't believe he had ever met or seen anyone by that name, but--- ---An elegant, beautiful woman smiled up into Treize's face as he led her around the dance floor. Heero could not see or remember the girl's face, but he had the impression of great beauty--- ---And great power. It took all of Heero's self control to say casually, "The name sounds familiar, but I can't place her." Treize nodded and departed, leaving a very bewildered Heero standing, gun still withdrawn.  
  
  
  
Hakawa Shrine, Dimension Three Wufei slowly walked up into the shrine. It had been a long time since he had visited one. He had been raised as a believer as a child, but he had not honored the Kami since Meiran died. The shrine maiden came to meet him. Rei saw the young Chinese boy and paled as she got a better look at him. He was undeniably the boy she had seen in the embers. Unbidden, another seeing came to her. The man rose from the breakfast table and went to the window. A passing crow alighted on her hand. Carefully, he brought it in. "Look, Ember," He urged, using his pet nickname for her. "At least the wildlife doesn't care about my past." The last was said with a twinge of sarcasm. She grinned. "You look like Oden." Then, more seriously, though still in a bantering tone, "Am I then a crow? I don't care what you did in the war. You did what you felt necessary." He gave a smile in return, and replied, "I care. And besides that," The grin widened, "Present company excluded of course, crows are screaming, rude creatures. You, my Rei, are a raven; majestic, dark, and messenger to the gods of war." She blushed at the praise. Wufei came up to her. After the usual preliminaries, he asked for her to do a seeing to tell him what had happened to the colonies. Rei, figuring he was just being smart asked angrily, "Is that supposed to be some kind of joke? What do you mean, 'the orbiting colonies'?" It was Wufei's turn to whiten. He apologized, but never explained. At that moment, as he gazed at the furious priestess, She spun through and her foot connected solidly with his knee. He went down hard and she immediately pinned him. Lowering her face near his, she growled, "Care to repeat that remark about weak women?" "Allright, I'm sorry." With a smirk, "Let's consider that a competition. You won. What do you claim as your prize, Lady Fire?" "Only this," She whispered and kissed him hard. His eyes flew open wide in his shock before he allowed himself to relax. When they finally pulled away, gasping violently for breath, she leaned her head on his shoulder. "I love you, Wufei." She whispered. He tightened his arms around her. Before he realized what he was saying, he murmured in reply, "Then marry me." He came back to himself to find her watching him, obviously (by the expression on her face) worried. He left, calling what he thought to be a normal farewell over his shoulder. Instead, Rei heard him say in the Ancient tongue, "Hail and Farewell, Goddess of Mars."  
  
  
  
Foreign Diplomatic Embassy, Tokyo, Dimension Three Quatre entered the building, still slightly shaken by the disappearance. The security officers on duty looked up at him as he entered, then bowed deeply. "Mr. Winner." Quatre nodded in return, then asked, "Is Rendon here?" "No sir, but he is expected soon." Quatre thanked the man, and started up the stairs towards his associate's office. He stopped upon seeing the blue haired woman coming down the stairs approaching him, but obviously conversing with a distinguished looking man. They separated, and she continued down the staircase. Quatre looked at her and saw--- ---He stood to answer the commlink. He spoke softly with his mentor, then returned to the living room.  
  
"Ames, I'm sorry, but I've been called up again. This time the trouble is in sector Beta-Zero." She rose and came to him. He could see her worry, and she said softly, "I understand. Please, come home as soon as you can." "I will," he said tenderly, and bent to kiss her. Ami turned to look at him as she passed. She sat, obviously awaiting somebody, but she watched him, oddly interested in the blond boy surveying her. 'He looks vaguely familiar. There is a sense about him; a dryness, as though of the desert.' She thought. His eyes caught her, and she was drowning in their paleness. She opened her eyes. He was there, leaning over her. She remembered their wedding ceremony and blushed deeply. Quatre pulled the blankets more tightly around them both, and dropped a kiss on her forehead. "Good morning, Aqua," He said, gently teasing her. Flushing she realized she was staring at him. He rose and came to her, bowing gracefully. "Ami?" He asked. "Quatre?" He smiled, and offered her his arm. Talking steadily, they left for the coffee shop they had met at years and centuries before.  
  
  
  
Tokyo Street, Dimension Three Trowa rode on, feeling better already. Not checking his speed, he came up on a light, and slammed on his breaks as two girls tried to cross in front of him. The tall brunette pulled the smaller blonde out of the way as he skidded to a stop inches from the taller girl's shoes. He pulled off his helmet, apologizing. Mokoto looked up at him. Both felt an odd sense of recognition as her emerald eyes met his jade. He held her to his chest, weeping. She reached up and fingered a brown spike. Weakly she smiled and murmured, "You'll find me in another time, Trowa." "My Mokoto---" He trailed off brokenly. "I know." She replied. Glancing up, she barely had time to register the sight of the dark cloud amassing over him. "Trowa!" She screamed as Chaos's blow struck him solidly in the back. They gazed at each other, each intuitively knowing that the other had seen the same vision. "Are you alright?" He asked finally, breaking the silence. Usagi looked on curiously. "We're both fine, Trowa." She replied. Usagi's jaw dropped. Trowa turned to her and said slowly, trying to remember the ancient tongue as he spoke, "Hail and well met, Neo-Queen Serenity." He nodded a farewell to Mokoto, got on the motorcycle and drove off. Behind him, he heard Usagi's voice lambasting Mokoto, "Who is he? How did he know who I am? How does he know the ancient tongue?"  
  
  
  
Gold Crown Arcade, Tokyo, Dimension Three Duo walked into the arcade and sat at the Formula One game. He realized that he wasn't the only player. However, his opponent crashed after only a few laps. After his win, he glanced sideways around the game console. A blonde woman, not much more than a girl sat there. She looked sideways at him in return. A shock as of recognition flowed through him. "You're quite good." She said. "Thanks. I'm Duo. Duo Maxwell." "Aino Minako." They shook hands. Flesh against flesh, lips pressing, tongues entwining, hands on body- -- They stared at each other, still holding hands. Duo broke the tension. "I could give you some tips if you want." "Th-thank you," She stammered, still shaken. She looked up and saw the other girls coming through the door, Mokoto and Usagi from across the street and Rei from the right. They came over, and Duo stood up. "See you around, Miss Minako. Ladies." With a nod he left. Outside, he swore as he realized he was acting more like the gentleman Relena tried to make him than the street-toughened war orphan he had always been. A man brushed by him, and ran into the arcade and over to the group of girls. Duo shrugged and began to walk off. It was none of his business. He stopped though in surprise at seeing the girl who ran up the street to his left and the girl who passed him. One had blue hair and the other green. 'Compared to them, my braid is perfectly normal!' The green haired woman drew even with him and stopped. "Duo Maxwell. Good. Bring the other pilots here. Now!" Duo found himself rushing off to obey without a thought and wondered at the woman's power of command. But he still obeyed.  
  
"And who was he?" Usagi asked shrewdly. Still confused, Minako stuttered, "I-I don't know. He beat me at the game, and when we introduced ourselves, it-it felt like we'd somehow--- known each other before." She blushed, and again, Flesh against flesh, lips pressing-- "He says his name is Duo." She finished lamely. Usagi opened her mouth, but Mokoto beat her to it, softly saying, "On our way here, Usagi and I ran into Trowa. I had a vision that seemed to be a memory. I know he saw it too: Our deaths by Zandramas. He addressed Usagi in the ancient tongue. I know he and I were close in the Silver Millennium." Rei said nothing. Mamoru ran up the street and to the door. Entering the arcade, he came over to the group. Rei read his expression and said, "Mamoru. You had a dream. Did you see it too?" He nodded. At that moment, Ami ran in, trying to catch her breath. "Sorry guys! I was talking with Quatre and lost all track of time." Immediately she had everyone's attention. Usagi and Minako chorused, "Oh? And who's Quatre?" "A guy I met at the embassy," She replied, blushing. "You threw out his name like you expected us to know who he is." Mokoto noted. Ami took a breath, then said simply, "I think I knew him in a past life." "What does all of this mean?" Rini asked. Haruka and Michiru stepped around the game console. "Setsuna said that she'd clarify when she arrived," Haruka said just as the green haired woman entered. Immediately, each of the senshi, including Mamoru, began to talk at once, each trying to be heard over the noise of the others. Setsuna laughed. "Wait just a few more minutes. When the others arrive, I will tell you so as not to have to explain more than once." "The others? Are the Starlights returning?" Minako asked. "There are other senshi?" Usagi guessed. Setsuna, still smiling, answered, "Yes to both questions. However, the Starlights won't be on Earth for at least four more years yet, and the other Sailor Senshi are already on planet or doing their duties elsewhere. The senshi I speak of are the Gundam Pilots." The others looked at each other and mouthed, "Gundam?"  
  
Outside, Duo reached to open the door. Heero stopped his action by grasping the handle and holding the door firmly closed. "Let me make sure I have this; Some green haired girl told you to bring us here and you immediately rushed to obey her? We've all had strange run-ins with females today. Did you ever stop to consider that this could be a trap?" "I know the blue haired girl there, Ami." Quatre answered. "I will speak for her." "Hn," Came the expected growled reply. "I vote we go, but stay on our guard. Mokoto is a friend of mine." Trowa put in unexpectedly. Duo resolutely pulled open the door and entered the arcade; the other pilots close behind him. He walked straight over to Setsuna and demanded, "What is this all about?" Immediately, she snapped out the Garnet Rod. A purplish light encircled the group and Setsuna cried in the obsolete tongue, "Mother Star, bring me home!"  
  
  
  
Charon Castle, Pluto, Bridge between Dimensions Three and Four They stood before a vast marble gate. The Sailor Senshi immediately recognized it, but the pilots stood in shock. Briefly. Heero whipped out his gun and began firing. Setsuna's staff whirled, blocking bullets until the handgun ran out of ammunition. He glared at it in disgust. Setsuna had changed. She stood surrounded by a black aura. An elegant black gown flowed around her. She silently pointed to a room opposite the gate and the astonished pilots passed silently into the chamber. Directly across from the door along the north wall stood two figures: A white-blonde haired woman dressed in gold and to her left a taller woman dressed in a purple silk kimono. Heero recognized her as the woman from the vision he had had near the docks. "Glana? Sailor Galaxy?" He asked. She nodded, then said softly, phrasing the command as a request, "I welcome you, but please show proper respect for Lady Order." A vision that seemed to be a memory rammed itself into his brain. The woman stepped forward and a hush ran through the crowd. "Who is she?" Heero asked Relena. She was pale and bowed to the woman before answering, "They call her Lady Order, the opposite of Zandramas. She created this Universe and all that exists in it." He bowed, poking Wufei, who stood closest to him as he did so. Grumbling, his friends bowed too. Heero groaned inwardly. As he did, he realized with a shock that his "visions", and those of his friends, where in all actuality memories of a past life. A rich chuckle filled the room. Lady Order was laughing. "When I was just a seventeen year old school girl you never paid me such respect, Heero Yuy." She teased. The red haired woman reigned in her mount. Heero began to swear gasping for breath. "I won." She said. "You cheated." He retorted. Heero found himself grinning. "I still say you cheated, Jeleia. By the way, you never got around to explaining why your hair and eyes change color when you transform." "So you remember your past?"  
  
"Bits and pieces mostly." "I won, fairly." "Hn." The other pilots looked baffled. Heero sat in one of the room's many chairs. "Heero! We haven't been asked to sit!" Quatre hissed. Sailor Universe/Jeleia raised an eyebrow. "Please, have a seat," She said, keeping her face completely straight. Quickly, the other pilots sat. Along the east wall sat two more figures. One wore a black gown, the other green. "Sailor Life, Sailor Death," Heero greeted them. Both nodded regally. To the west was a woman with white blonde "odongas" like Usagi's. Next to her knelt a woman in chain mail and helm. The two kneeling females managed half bows. "Sailors Cosmos, Celeste," He acknowledged next. Cosmos elbowed her companion. "I told you he'd remember us if he saw us, Felicity." She said, smugly. The four other men were still confused. The other senshi began to file in. Ami was first, and as she walked in her pale blue gown, Quatre stepped forward to escort her to a seat next to him. Endymion and Neo- Serenity were next in their usual raiment, followed by a radiant Minako. Duo's jaw dropped. Jeleia giggled, and he flushed. Rei followed. She glanced around and took the empty throne next to Wufei. He glanced her over and turned his attention back to the door. For some obscure reason, Rei felt stung. Mokoto took one step into the room in the emerald velvet and swore violently, to the chagrin of some and amusement of others. She irritatedly sent a quick volt down her leg, slitting the fabric of the gown. She took another step and sighed in relief as she moved more freely, ignoring the fact that her magnificently muscled leg was shown to the mid-thigh. Trowa smiled at her, trying to keep from openly laughing, and bowed her into the seat next to him. Timidly, Rini and Hotaru proceeded in, and crept into chairs near to Usagi and Mamoru's dais. Haruka and Michiru soon filled two more divans. The inners found themselves grinning as Haruka winced with distaste at the gown. Pluto joined the group and stood in the center. There were still seven empty cathedra. Celeste stepped forward to the center of the vast hall. A silver ball of pure energy appeared in her hand. She sang/spoke something in an unidentifiable language. The star force briefly turned black, then vanished. Celeste bowed to Jeleia, then to Setsuna. "They are coming."  
  
Soon a tall Asian girl in black leather strode in. She turned one of the chairs flanking the door around and sat leaning on the back with her chin in her hands. Hiding a smile, Setsuna curtsied. "What is the meaning of this, Pluto?" The girl demanded sharply. "You'll find out soon enough, Darkness." Came the placid response. Darkness snorted inelegantly. Soon another demoiselle came in and took a corner seat opposite Darkness. She nodded briefly to the others, then greeted the other. "Salla." "'Niqua." "I assume you were with my sister, Twilight?" Setsuna asked. "Yes. Time and Dimension are waiting for Sailor Night, the God of Light, and the Celestial Lord." The lass answered. They didn't have long to wait. Treize entered. Just behind him was Milliardo Peacecraft escorting a black hair and eyed woman, who struck the pilots as being very familiar. Treize sat beside Glana, and Night sat next to Heero. Milliardo took a chair in the third corner, next to another empty throne. Sailors Time and Dimension stepped in and closed the immense doors. Surprisingly, they did not take the remaining seats in the corners. The women curtsied, then sat on the floor, flanking the great doors.  
  
  
  
Charon Castle, Council Hall, Dimension Three At a nod from Universe, Pluto began. "You may not believe this, but I assure you that it is true." She said looking at the Inners, Outers, and Pilots in particular. She continued, "I am Setsuna Meiou, Goddess of the planet Pluto. My duty is to guard the Gates of Time. "All of the females in this room are goddesses, though we are better known by the titles of 'Sailor' or 'Senshi'. There are one hundred eleven of us. In this room, however, are the most powerful warriors who are currently within this solar system. The others are scattered through time, dimensions, and realities. For instance, we couldn't get a hold of Son Goku." There were a few chuckles at what was perceived to be a joke. What anime character would ever actually exist? Setsuna went on, shaking her head in grief that the others didn't remember the climatic battles, "This is the first gathering of the Senshi High Council in over five hundred thousand years, since the fall of the Silver Millennium. Two among our number are missing." Pluto paused. The vast chamber was silent. She proceeded. "Queen Serenity the first did not rule the Silver Millennium. Neo Queen Serenity and Small Lady did. Queen Serenity ruled the diamond Era. "During the Silver Millennium, you married, and today you instinctively sat in your old places in this council hall. "The two missing members are Sailor Varl and Sailor Shadow." "Sailor Varl?" Moon interrupted. Pluto smiled indulgently. "Where the Van Allen belt is today was once a very peaceful, pacifistic planet called Varl. Sailor Varl, birth named Gabriella, was its ruler. Shadow was named Leila."  
  
As Setsuna spoke the name, Milliardo gasped and went deadly pale. Setsuna went on relentlessly. "I have called you here to discuss Leila and the destruction of Varl. Leila loved the planet and the woman both. Her closest friends were Gabriella, Dominiqua, Glana, Haruka, and of course her husband, Milliardo. However, about the time that Zandramas began to exert her power, something began to change in Leila. She and Gabriella began to argue incessantly. Then one day, Leila claimed that Zandramas had taken over Varl. She ordered Gabriella's shadow to eat the woman alive, then destroyed the planet. "She went home that night to her estates where she, her daughter, and Milliardo lived. An emotionless mask seemed to cover her features. Her husband-" Here Pluto glanced at Milliardo, "-knew something was wrong, of course. He demanded to know what had happened. She refused to answer. "Haruka had been watching the mansion since she had felt Gabriella's death. Despite the fact that they were close friends, she went to Jeleia. Leila had broken our most sacred law; never kill a fellow Sailor Senshi. "Jeleia was furious. She went to the mansion and demanded to be let in. Milliardo opened the door and heard her story. He went upstairs to call his wife. She had been coming down, and they met on the landing. They argued, and he backhanded her. Leila had been slightly off balance and fell down the flight of stairs. Unknown to anyone but herself, she had been pregnant again. The fall caused her to miscarry. "Horrified at himself, Milliardo ran down the flight of stairs to kneel by her. He begged Universe to call Bernadette (Sailor Healer, for those of you who have forgotten her), but Jeleia refused. She lifted Leila's prone body and took her to her personal palace in the Andromeda system. In her rage, she ordered Leila to be tortured to death." Pluto paused. "It took Leila, as strong as she was in mind, body, spirit, and will five years to die."  
  
Despite Neptune's restraining hand on her arm, Uranus shot to her feet. "And what good did it do?" She demanded. "I handed one of my closest friends over to a murderess!" Galaxy tightened her grip on the hilt of her Claymore, but Universe touched her shoulder in warning. "Lady Order, she has no right to speak to you like that!" Galaxy complained, outraged, but Universe shook her head, sorrow written on every feature. Uranus glanced at Milliardo, who was pale and shaking in his seat next to what had been Shadow's throne, then at Twilight who sat rigidly, obviously enraged. Again, she spoke, "You killed Leila after condemning her for killing Gabriella. How then is her fate any different from Varl's? And if you don't have enough compassion to look at it humanely, look at from the standpoint that we had one less warrior in the battle to overcome your twin sister Zandramas!" "She was a traitor!" Moon proclaimed, standing to face Uranus, to everyone's surprise. "How is Jeleia any different from Zandramas? She kills any who oppose her!" "Please! We'll achieve nothing by arguing!" Mercury spoke up for the first time. Slowly, Moon and Uranus sat again, glaring at each other. Time stepped forward. "Most likely, she considers herself to have been broken faith with herself by Milliardo, Haruka, and Jeleia." "Considers?" Heero asked, noting the usage. Time nodded. "Yes, we would not have drudged up this painful ancient history for no reason. Leila is here, as much alive as any of us, and her target is Earth."  
  
At that moment the eight along the walls, as well as Neptune and Uranus jerked, and their eyes grew distant as if listening to a phantom sound. "Trouble?" Saturn asked. Uranus nodded. Universe looked at Pluto. "Setsuna?" Pluto nodded and held up her staff. The purple light again surrounded the assemblage and they left the council hall.  
  
  
  
Tokyo Street, Dimension Three The council appeared on the street, in front of the arcade. They stared in horror at the scene that met them. A man with short black hair and red eyes dressed in black stood over a short female figure they all recognized. "Naru!" Moon cried and tried to run to her friend's body. Death caught her. "It's too late! I'm sorry! That man has her spirit." Moon turned, ready to attack. He smirked. "I am Obsidian. Lady Shadow will be glad to know that the entire high council is here on Earth. Usagi, is it? Put the pretty stick away- your powers will not affect me." "Stardust!" Moon cried the last word of her invocation, releasing her power. The attack struck him soundly in the chest. There was the usual blinding flash of light. It quickly dissipated, revealing an unharmed Obsidian. The smirk was also intact as he held up the stone, which was filled with Naru's essence. Angrily, Universe snarled, "Does your mistress now dabble in Necromancy?" With a lifted eyebrow, Obsidian replied, "No, her followers do. She finds the practice distasteful, but we have discovered that using someone else's Chi gives us a Basi stone with all the benefits and none of the disadvantages." He turned and bowed mockingly to Milliardo as he continued, "Hail, God of Light. I'm hoping Lady Leila was as good a lover when you were mated as she is now." He disappeared as Milliardo lunged at him and an enraged Twilight finally pushed her way to the front of the crowd of senshi. She muttered something no one quite caught and stalked away.  
  
  
  
Daeminas Chateau, Black Forest, Dimension Twenty-Six Again, Obsidian knelt before his queen. She raised a silent eyebrow and waited for his report. "I have collected the girl Naru's Basi. The senshi and Gundam pilots came to investigate. Lady Shadow," He paused for dramatic emphasis. "The entire High Council of Warriors is on the planet Terra." Her eyes lit up, shining with remembered friendship and pride, then darkened as she forced herself to keep her current condition in mind. Neutrally, she said, "Good work. What would you request as a reward?" Trembling, shocked at his own boldness, but remembering his false brag to Milliardo, he replied softly, fearing her legendary wrath, "One night, my queen. That's all I ask." She was quiet for a moment, then said in a tone he couldn't put a name to, "I told you to choose. I can not deny myself to you."  
  
Tenderly, he undressed her, lips not leaving hers. He stripped himself, while kissing down her ivory throat. She gave a soft moan. Emboldened by her response, Obsidian stroked her body. Leila's eyes shot wide, immediately. She looked up at him, her face unusually pale. Her temples pounded, her blood rushed icily, her ears roared deafeningly. Her whole being screamed the wrongness of it to her. 'He is not Milliardo! Even the feel of his hand is different!' A thousand memories of her white haired husband crowded into her mind. Tears streaming down her face, she ore herself out of Obsidian's arms. "Lady Leila?" He asked, concerned. "Please-don't call me that. No lady would do this." She fell weeping on the bed, her hair spreading around her loosely like a cape, her face and eyes shining with the force of her self-hatred. She was at that moment the most beautiful woman Obsidian had ever lain eyes on. He went to the bed. Tenderly, he pulled a sheet over her and kissed her wet cheek. "I'm sorry. Sleep well, Lady." He said, emphasizing the final word.  
  
She lay for hours, crying for what she had nearly done. Vainly, she tried to pull a face, a presence out of the darkness. "Milliardo," She called in a broken whisper. "My Milliardo. My love." 


	2. Shadow's Blood

Shadow's Blood  
  
By: Night Star  
Tokyo Street, Dimension Three The group dissipated each going their own way. Sailor Night fell in, walking beside Heero. He stopped and turned to face her.  
  
"Why did you come to sit beside me in the council? Who are you?" He demanded. She lifted her henshin brooch. There was a flash of light, and in Night's place stood a woman with lightened hair and eyes. He stared at her in shock.  
  
"Relena Peacecraft, Queen of Peace, is a senshi?" He gasped in amazement. She laughed at his expression and took his arm in her characteristic gesture. Together, they set off for the Century Café for a cup of coffee, with her explaining.  
***  
The Well of Time, Dimension Four Again, Morgana parted the waters of time and watched the eternal flow within. A girl of about fourteen with long blonde hair and sapphire eyes spoke with the queen of shadows. With a hiss, Morgana again secured the Well and went to the Gates. Exiting the dimension entrusted to her care, she walked to a certain apartment in Tokyo.  
  
When Milliardo opened the door, Morgana said simply,  
  
"Your daughter has been found, alive. Elizabeth is with her mother."  
***  
Daeminas Chateau, Black Forest, Dimension twenty-six Elizabeth walked up the corridor, reflecting on the past. She had been born many thousands of years ago as the daughter of Milliardo and Leila Peacecraft. Her father had always been very strict with her. Elizabeth respected that. He was only trying to raise her right. However, Leila had always spoiled her, and had never been able to discipline her because of her strong resemblance to Milliardo. However, the situation had been reversed for Kathleen, her sister. She had been identical to Leila in all respects but one: she had been a norm. Kathleen had been killed during a youma attack.  
  
Elizabeth paused for a moment, allowing the pain she always felt in remembering her sister to wash through her. She and her sister had been abnormally close during their childhood. After a second, Elizabeth continued walking. It had been hard when she had discovered that she had lost another sibling when Leila miscarried. After Leila's death, Elizabeth had gone to Sailor Crystal, who had locked her in stasis, unchanging for millennium. When her mother had been reborn, and re-achieved her powers, Elizabeth had joined her.  
  
She entered the throne room. Leila was standing with her back to the door, gazing out of the crystalline windows that flanked the throne. To anyone but Leila, it was a landscape of darkness.  
  
"What do you see?" Elizabeth asked. Leila gave a small ironic smile.  
  
"It's storming. Appropriate. However, I think it's close to blowing over."  
  
"What is it, mama?" Elizabeth asked, noting the tearstains on Leila's face. Leila shook her head and didn't answer. Elizabeth stepped up beside her and placed a hand on her shoulder. Softly, so her mother wouldn't notice, she slipped a strand of thought into her mind. She saw the whole episode of the night before.  
  
"Please get out of my mind, Silhouette." Leila said, using her daughter's battle name.  
  
"You didn't betray papa. You stopped Obsidian. Nothing happened, so it's OK." She replied. Leila smiled, but there was an odd look in her eyes. Elizabeth couldn't resist; she slipped back into her mother's mind.  
  
The first thing she saw was amusement. Chagrinned, Elizabeth saw the mental awareness Leila had of every attempt to touch her mind, and the strong mental shielding Leila had parted to allow her to get in without being injured. The next thing she saw, before Leila shoved it behind her armor was a deep sadness. Leila remembered, and Elizabeth with her-  
  
- Leila stood on the balcony, gazing out over the moonlit garden. The cold wind blew around her, and she shivered. Milliardo entered the room from which the balcony opened out with his usual silent step. He stopped, regarding her as the wind blew through her hair, which she rarely let out of the thick braid, but was loose now, as well as the velvet black sleeveless gown she wore.  
  
"I know you're there," she said, not bothering to turn around.  
  
"I'm just admiring the view. All you need now are wings." Came his reply. He stepped up behind her and laid a hand on her bare shoulder. . She trembled slightly at his touch. He knew she only came out on to the balcony, rather than walking in the gardens, when something was bothering her.  
  
"What's wrong, little wolf?" He asked tenderly, using his pet name for her. She gave a small smile, but didn't answer. "Let me in."  
  
He slipped into her mind, feeling her part her mental defenses for him. He watched that day's argument with Gabriella, then slid back out of her thoughts.  
  
"It wasn't your fault, Leila."  
  
"I know that, but-" She broke off with a small sigh and leaned back against him. He gently turned her around and kissed her. Pulling away, he murmured,  
  
"Let's get you back inside. You're freezing out here in that damned senshi get-up."  
  
With that, he led her back into their mansion.   
  
Guiltily, Elizabeth left her mother's memories. The similarities of the situation concerned her. She allowed her hand to drop from her mother's shoulder. There was an awkward pause, then Elizabeth changed the subject.  
  
"You called me Silhouette," She noted hopefully. Leila smiled.  
  
"Yes, I think it's just about time for you to start to take your place as a warrior." She said turning to face her daughter. She stopped as if mesmerized, and reached to touch her daughter's hair, pushing it back. Stepping behind her, she pulled Elizabeth's hair behind her, and leaned out to see her from the front.  
  
"Remarkable."  
  
"What is?" Elizabeth asked.  
  
"If I were to use a ribbon to hold your hair like this, you would look exactly like Minako- Sailor Venus, if you will."  
  
The women looked at each other and began to laugh as the possibilities dawned on them both.  
  
***  
A Penthouse, Tokyo, Dimension Three A blonde girl knocked at the door and waited for a response. Ms. Mizuno opened the door. "Oh, Minako, please come in. I believe Ami is in her room. I'm sorry I can not be a better hostess, but my shift starts soon." "That's all right." The girl replied. "Thank you." She moved past and went up the stairs. She paused and heard Ami murmuring to herself in one of the rooms. She smiled, knocked, and waited for the "Come in!" She pushed the door open and entered. To her surprise, Ami was going through her closet, pausing occasionally, then muttering, "No, not that one," and continuing through her closet. "Ami?" She asked. With an almost guilty look, Ami pulled her head out of the closet. "Oh, Minako, I didn't realize it was you." Ami said. "What are you doing?" The other girl asked. "Oh, umm, well," She stammered, blushing, "Quatre asked me to go with him for a cup of tea at the Century. He said he'd pick me up at around four. I didn't want to wear my school uniform, and-" The other girl was laughing. She went over, laying an arm around Ami's shoulders. Ami's eyes shot open wide in shock.  
  
Downstairs, Ms. Mizuno again opened the door to a knock. "Quatre. I believe Ami is upstairs with her friend Minako. I'll go to get her." A second later, he heard a gasp, followed by a scream. Running upstairs, he stopped in horror. Clothing lay strewn across the bedroom floor, and in a pool by the closet was fresh blood. Neatly lined up on Ami's dresser, out of her mother's line of vision were Ami's henshin pen, mini-computer, and communicator. Surreptitiously, he pocketed the items and turned. "Ms. Mizuno, I will do everything in my power to find the girls." He said.  
  
***  
Daeminas Chateau, Black Forest, Dimension Three "Minako?" Ami gasped, trying to staunch the blood flow from her left shoulder. The girl laughed. "Yes, Lady Venus and I do look a lot alike, don't we? I am called Silhouette." She said, then looked concernedly at Ami's shoulder. "I'm sorry that I had to do that. I was trying to keep you from attacking me." Both girls swung around to face the door as it opened. Leila stepped in. She looked at Ami's shoulder and hissed in what Ami would have said was sympathy, if she didn't know how evil the woman was supposed to be. "I suppose that was necessary. If that is going to be your battle technique, I suggest your next target be Hotaru, as Sailor Healer is not on planet." "Did I do wrongly, Lady Shadow?" Silhouette asked. "No, in fact you did remarkably well. However," She said meaningfully, "we don't want our guest to bleed to death." Silhouette flushed and disappeared. Leila stepped towards Ami, and before she had a chance to react, had firmly taken the arm in her hands and was binding the wound to cut off the blood flow. Ami looked around the room in the meantime. The room was a light blue and white, with beautiful antique furniture arranged in a way that Ami found very aesthetic. The room seemed to scream her name at her. It was perfect. "May I sit?" Leila asked, to Ami's surprise. "I thought I am your prisoner," Ami replied. "True, but this has been your room when you came to the Chateau since the Diamond Era. I ask your hospitality." Ami nodded. The women each sat. Leila sighed. "I'm sorry, Ami. I never meant you to be hurt. You were always polite to me and at times it seemed," Leila gave her a wry grin, "that you were the only inner senshi with any intelligence. However, strategically speaking, you were the ideal mark. You, with your mini-computer can scan for any weaknesses in our defense, you slow down your opponents to give the others a chance to attack, and you are well loved." The last was said very bitterly. "I knew the senshi would lose morale if you disappeared from your own home-or they could be spurred to greater levels of power." "What are you here for?" Ami asked. Leila leaned back in her chair. "I know what you mean. Beryl wanted energy, Nephrenia was looking for Helios, and Mistress Nine wanted the Talismans." "How-" Ami started to ask. Leila smiled humorlessly. "I fought them all by your side before-in the Silver Millennium. To answer your original question, I don't have any such pure motives." She said with heavy sarcasm on the final two words. "I am here to get revenge on those who hurt me. I'm trying to draw Jeleia into open confrontation. In short, I'm doing everything I can to flaunt the senshi tradition."  
  
***  
Ueno Koen, Tokyo, Dimension Three "Ow!" Rini cried out as she slipped from the swing. Hotaru looked at the way Rini's wrist was swelling, and gently touched it. There was the usual jolt and the swelling disappeared, taking the pain with it. Hotaru swayed and collapsed. A blonde girl caught her. "Rini, run tell Haruka and Michiru that Hotaru's fainted again." The pink haired girl nodded and ran off. She didn't see the blonde and Hotaru disappear. Minako did.  
  
***  
Daeminas Chateau, Black Forest, Dimension Twenty-Six Hotaru awoke to find a girl identical to Minako trying to revive her. She looked around the lavender room. "Minako? Where are we?" "Are you awake? Good. Ami needs you." The other replied. She led Hotaru out of the room and down the corridor. She opened the door and led the young healer into the room where Ami and Leila sat talking, a torn sweater haven been used as a bandage. Hotaru rushed to heal her blue-haired fellow warrior. She stood for a moment before realizing what was bothering her; the healing hadn't taken anything out of her. In fact, she felt stronger. Leila chuckled at the look on Hotaru's face. "It seems that my castle remembers you." She stood briskly. "You have free run of this fortress. Technically, you could be considered my prisoners, but I don't like to keep people cooped up. Besides, there is no way you can escape the twenty-sixth dimension. Not alone, anyway." She left. Hotaru looked after her, then back at Ami. "What did she mean by 'my castle remembers you'?" She asked. Ami closed her eyes, and thought back, straining to remember- -Sailor Magic laughed. "Mercury will have the strongest castle of us all; we were fresh when we did hers." "Oh well, let's get on with this!" Sailor Moonstone protested. "I hate this dimension. I can't see a thing!" "Quit complaining, Luna. I swear, we now know why you make such a perfect cat." Came Darkness' reply. The hundred warriors joined their minds. Multi-colored auras, representing the powers of each of them, rippled out, surrounding and sealing the immense building. Twilight stepped over to her sister, placing an arm around Shadow's shoulders. "Welcome home, Sailor Shadow." "We are a part of this castle," Ami said wonderingly. She closed her eyes and stretched her mind to the walls and the energy running through them. She grasped a strand that felt like ice to her. Hotaru shivered as the room grew cold and a pale beam of blue light flowed from somewhere in the walls and into Ami's hand. Hotaru followed her friend's lead. Most of the energy made a soft hum or whisper. However, one strand moved with a deathly silence. She opened her eyes to see the violet strand of pure energy that greeted her. Ami, too, opened her eyes. "I don't think Leila is as evil as Sailor Universe thinks!" Hotaru said.  
***  
Ueno Koen, Tokyo, Dimension Three Minako dropped onto the park bench in shock. She had just seen.herself. Was it a doppelganger, or some evil trick? "She" hadn't harmed Rini, but where had "she" taken Hotaru? About that time, Quatre passed her. He walked past, the stopped and swung back around to face her, as if just recognizing her. "Minako! Thank God, you're all right. Where's Ami?" He asked. "What do you mean?" She returned, confused. "Ami is missing. Her room is a mess, and there was a pool of blood next to the closet. Ms. Mizuno informed me that you went upstairs just before Ami disappeared." Minako paled. 'I saw Hotaru kidnapped before my eyes and I didn't stop it! And Ami." She thought desperately. Silently, tears began to slide down her face. Quatre didn't know what to do. Duo happened by at that moment to see a crying Minako and an awkward but impatiently worried looking Quatre. "What did you say to her?" He demanded of his friend. "Ami's hurt and missing, and someone who looks like me kidnapped her and Hotaru!" Minako explained, trying to control the flood of weeping. Duo's eyes widened, and he turned to Quatre. "I'll stay with Minako, here. You go try to find Ami." Quatre nodded and quickly walked off. Duo sank down onto the bench next to Minako and placed his arms around her. "Shh. Don't worry. Quatre may be quiet and pacifistic, but he is very determined. When he says he'll do something, he does. Ami is as good as home already." She leaned against him, still crying softly. Instinctively, Duo kissed her. "Just relax," He murmured. She cried herself out and sat, still leaning against him. After several minutes, Duo realized that she had sobbed herself into exhaustion and fallen asleep. "Great. Now what do I do?" He muttered.  
***  
Tokyo Street, Dimension Three Quatre stepped back into the alleyway to avoid being noticed by passerby. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the small, blue computer. "I hope I still know you." He told it. His fingers, out of a long-forgotten habit, tapped out a code and well-known password. A scanning system opened, and he keyed it to Mercurial energy. Nothing. A hand came down onto his shoulder. "Quatre, is it? What are you doing with Ami's mini- comp?" A melodious but oddly masculine voice asked firmly. He jumped and turned to face the two who stood behind him. "Ami is missing. I'm trying to scan for her." He explained, recognizing the women who stood behind him. "Oh?" Haruka asked, raising an eyebrow. "Mich?" Michiru stepped farther back into the shadows before pulling out a small mirror. She gazed intently into it, then sighed and looked up at them. "Out of the thirty-eight accessible dimensions from Earth, I can only scan thirty-six. She not in any of them, even the thirteenth." "Thirteenth?" Haruka asked. "Why would you look for her in the Dimension of Evil?" "Guess," Came the reply from the blue-haired woman. "Kidnapping Ami wasn't the act of a saint." "Excuse me," Quatre interrupted. "Which two couldn't you see into?" "The twenty-sixth and thirty-first: Darkness and Chaos." Michiru answered. Quatre typed busily for a moment. A thin cable shot from the back of the mini-computer and attached itself to the mirror. Haruka gave a small cry and unsheathed the Space Sword, but Michiru stopped her. "He's not doing anything to my Talisman at the moment." "Try to scan again," Quatre said absently. Michiru obliged. "I still can't-" She started to say, but was interrupted by a triumphant "Got it! Twenty-sixth!" from Quatre. "Good," Was Haruka's response. "Michiru and I will warp in and-"  
  
"I'm going, as well," Quatre's voice was firm, challenging her to try to stop him. "I can trace her now, and I swore I'd get her back." "We can't take you." Haruka argued. "You're not a senshi. We can't warp you. Uranus Star Power!" "Neptune Star Power!" 'Please let this work!' Quatre thought desperately, pulling out Ami's henshin pen. He cried out just as Uranus and Neptune were warping out, "Mercury Star Power!"  
***  
Black Forest, Dimension Twenty-six Neptune and Uranus stared at Quatre in surprise. "Well," he muttered to himself, "It did work!" The auras of the senshi's powers faded, leaving them in a darkness so complete that Uranus began to wonder if light had only ever been an illusion. Neptune detached the mini- computer cable from the mirror and sent her power winging away into the obscurity. There was no response, except for the outlines of what appeared to be trees. "Submarine Reflection!" She tried again in a new direction. The outline of a castle shone briefly, then disappeared. "Now let's hope that's not Salla or Relena's castle," Uranus muttered. 'Relena?' Quatre thought questioningly. 'Well, I suppose it could be a coincidence.' Together, the three struck out for the castle they'd seen in the impression of Neptune's power. Quatre tripped and caught himself on what felt like a cold, smooth pillar. "We've found the front door," He said. Uranus, though no one could tell, closed her eyes. A moment later, she reopened them. "Hotaru and Leila are here. I think Ami is as well, but I don't know her sense well." She reported. The great drawbridge opened. Leila stood there. The senshi flinched back from the sudden light from within the castle. "Welcome to Daeminas Chateau," Leila said.  
***  
Daeminas Chateau, Black Forest, Dimension Twenty-six Uranus, Neptune, and Quatre warily followed her in. "What are we doing? She has taken Hotaru and Ami prisoner!" Quatre whispered. "She offered us hospitality. We can't refuse. She is the senshi who owns this castle and we." Neptune gestured meaningfully at her clothing. "We must accept." He fell back behind the now silent trio of women. As soon as he knew he wouldn't be noticed, he slipped back into a side corridor and began to scan. As soon as he knew where Ami and Hotaru were, he hurried to catch up to the others. Leila led them into a small sitting room and waved them into chairs. She wanted to talk to Uranus, but the first words out of her mouth were directed to Quatre. "How is Milliardo?" She asked, a desperate tone in her voice. There was such a love there, as well as a longing, that Quatre felt that a one-word answer wouldn't be enough. "He seems to be in good health, though he had a heart attack when trying to get an MS under control. He isn't well liked because of some of his actions during the war. He's been a little depressed lately, but generally, he's all right with his situation and what he has done with his past." He paused, then added softly, "He remembers some of your past together, and he misses you. I know he wishes you could be together." Quatre immediately felt bad, because of the flash of intense sorrow that filled her eyes momentarily, before she pushed it away. Leila turned next to Uranus. Softly, she asked one word. "Why?" "I didn't realize Jeleia would do that to you, my friend. But you did destroy Varl and kill Gabriella." "And don't think I haven't regretted it, Haruka. Gabriella was my friend, too. I tried to warn her and the rest of you, but no one listened to me. Zandramas was trying to get a foothold in our system and Varl was ideal: we couldn't fight there without Gabriella's permission, and she was enough of a pacifist that she lied. I had to destroy Varl to halt Zandramas. It didn't work, but it did kill me." She stood, and the other three rose as well. "Please, follow me," She told them and led each to their respective rooms. As soon as the door shut behind him, Quatre whipped out the mini-computer and scanned again. He was pleasantly surprised to find that Ami and Hotaru were right next door. "Here goes nothing," He muttered, trying the door handle. It opened easily. He tried the door to the room the girls were in, and again found that e had easy access. "Quatre!" Ami cried happily. She ran across the room to him and without any conscious thought to do so, they embraced. They pulled away after a few moments, blushing. Quatre slid his hand into his pocket and encountered the items. He pulled them out and handed them to her. "Oh! How did you get these?" She asked. Quatre went slightly redder. "I saw them in your room. I knew they'd help me find you, so I.took them. I guess Duo's a bad influence on me." He said sheepishly. Hotaru came out of her self-induced trance. She started in surprise, seeing him. "Quatre, isn't it? Did Leila.bring you here as well? I thought I sensed Haruka and Michiru. Where are they?" "Right here," Came Uranus's voice from the doorway with her slight chuckle. Hotaru ran to hug her "parents". Over her head, Uranus asked, "Should we stay and talk to Leila some more, or should we take the opportunity to return to Tokyo?" "I don't know," Quatre said slowly. "She's done some horrible things, but then so have I. She seemed happy to see you again, Haruka, and it's obvious that she still loves Milliardo." "Silhouette may have injured me, but Leila sent her to find Hotaru to help me. She said she didn't intend for me to be hurt." Ami added. "I don't think she means any of us harm." "I think she's only here for Jeleia," Neptune agreed. Uranus smiled. "I'm glad all of you agree with me." She said, in a satisfied tone of voice. "I suggest we go back to Tokyo and get the others to listen to us, to bring Leila back as a senshi." Nods of assent came from around the room, but suddenly Ami remembered something. "Quatre used my henshin pen, didn't he?" She asked. Again, there were a few nods. "How do we get him home with us?" "I have my Gundam ring." Quatre replied. "It puts out a large amount of energy when it becomes an MS. Mightn't it work?" "We'll just have to try it and see," Neptune responded. Four voices cried out as one, and Quatre slid his finger over a pale yellow stone.  
  
"Lady Shadow!" Obsidian cried, coming into the throne room, bowing belatedly. "What is it?" She asked in a neutral tone of voice. "The four Immortals and the Gundam pilot have escaped!" To his surprise, Leila murmured softly, with a smile, "I knew you would, Haruka my friend." "Shouldn't we go after them?" Obsidian asked. Leila sighed. "I suppose we should. Fetch Silhouette and bring her along. She may be useful."  
***  
Countryside Outside of Tokyo, Dimension Three Leila breathed in deeply, allowing the breeze to fill her. She bent, digging one hand deeply into the dirt, feeling the soil of her home planet for the first time in what felt like forever. As she straightened, she noticed the first shadow coming to her. Then others crowded around her, crying out with voices only she could hear. They were not called to be used by her as a power, but coming as her ancient friends. Soon a mile high and thick pillar of darkness surrounded her. "Night of the Shadow Star! Lady Leila is home at last!"  
***  
Ueno Koen, Tokyo, Dimension Three The five companions landed in the park. "Who should we contact first?" Quatre asked, emerging from his Gundam, even as the senshi detransformed. "Usagi," Ami suggested. The others turned to look at her. She blushed, but continued, "She is our leader, and she is forgiving. If we can convince her that Leila's all right." They all stopped as one as a dark column rose above the city. Ami stopped mid-word. Haruka swore under her breath. "What is she doing? She didn't give us any time!" "Maybe it's a beacon to let us know where she is. Leila always was flamboyant." Michiru suggested. "We'd better go see!" Hotaru interjected, rather urgently. As one, they turned and ran towards the column of shadow. Across the city, twenty-one other senshi and six other Gundam pilots did the same.  
***  
Countryside outside of Tokyo, Dimension Three "Lady Shadow," Obsidian's voice sounded nervous. "We've been noticed." 'I'm sorry,' She silently told the column surrounding her, 'but please, could you be a little more discreet?' The shadows retreated, revealing the ranks of senshi. "Oh, shit," She muttered. "They're looking at me the same way I used to look at youma!" Haruka turned to look at the other thirty-two warriors, then straightened her shoulders and walked to stand beside Leila. "I'm sorry, old friend. Welcome home." Twilight finally slipped to the front of the crowd of fighters, and ran across to her sister. She wasn't usually very demonstrative, so she stopped just short of Leila. "'Bout time, sister-mine. I was wondering when you would show up." "Me? You were always the slow one!" Leila returned, a smile coming to her face. The greeting between sisters turned the balance. Several of the other senshi started across to welcome her back as well. Her smile widened. However, at that moment, she turned and saw Jeleia standing there. Again, Leila's face went carefully blank, and she said firmly, "Don't welcome me back as an equal," She said, her voice ringing through the clearing. "I am not here to regain my status as a Sailor Senshi. I am here to take my revenge on Sailor Universe for what she did to me. I failed Gabriella. I refuse to fail myself." The shadows rushed back, whirling around her as her power rose. Milliardo finally got to her side. The two disappeared into the cyclone of murkiness, lost to the sight of the others. "Leila!" He called, reaching to her, managing to grab her arm. He caught her and pulled her into his arms. "Milliardo!" She whispered in response, tangling her fingers into his hair, burying her face in his neck. He could feel her tears against his throat. "Why? How could you let her do that to me?" "I never meant to hurt you," He said hoarsely. "I loved you. I still do." He felt his own sorrow rising. He couldn't see through the shade surrounding them, but he could feel her lift her head from his shoulder. He bent and kissed her. She could feel his pain, so thick she could reach out and cleave it with a blade. 'I've hurt him!' She thought desperately, 'And I'll only hurt him again. If I stay.' When his lips left hers, she tore herself out of his arms and disappeared into the thick mists of power surrounding them. "I won't loose you again!" He told the shadows, desperately searching for her.  
Leila stopped and collected herself again. She had come to Earth for a reason. She had known it would be painful before she even started. She began to advance slowly, her power growing as she prepared to strike. Elizabeth and Obsidian found and flanked her. Slowly, Leila raised her arms, ready to attack Jeleia. "No!" Sailor Galaxy cried, ready as always to defend her queen. "Galaxy Soul Penumbra!" "Lady Shadow!" Obsidian pushed his female sovereign out of the way, taking the blast himself. He fell hard. "Silhouette! Evacuate now!" Leila commanded in a voice that invited no argument. Elizabeth compromised by going to stand beside her father, who had realized that his mate was unstoppable now, and merely stood watching Leila with a look of indescribable pain on his face. "If this is the way you want it," Jeleia said. She held out her hand, palm up, and a crystal appeared, hovering over her fingers. It began to glow softly. Soundlessly, neither using an incantation, Shadow sent a blast at Universe, even as a beam shot from the crystal and sliced towards Shadow. The two attacks were on a course to intersect. Heero instinctively knew that if the attacks touched, the results would be disastrous. He threw himself between the combatants, and dropped heavily to Earth. "NO!" Sailor Night screamed. An aura of pure energy thrust itself from her. Jeleia and Leila both collapsed, shuddering and breathing hard, painfully. A pool of blood collected and spread beneath Leila's head. Trembling, she rolled over on her side and began to vomit up blood. 


	3. Screams of the Shadows

Screams of the Shadows By: Night Star  
Battlefield outside of Tokyo, Dimension Three Relena ran across to Heero's side and took his still form into his arms. Sailor Death shook her head. "It's not his time. He is merely deeply unconscious." Milliardo had already sped to Leila's side. Gently, he pushed her hair out of the way of the mess. With a groan, she rolled back onto her back. He knelt beside her and pulled her into his lap, smoothing her hair back from her face. He placed his hand on her forehead. There was a soft pulsing light and Leila's eyes fluttered open. She coughed weakly and looked up at him with a small grin. "You never give up, do you?" She demanded. "Never. I was called the 'God of Light', and I will see you healed."  
***  
Jeleia slowly got to her feet, gratified to see that her opponent was all right, but as badly off as she was. She watched as Milliardo touched Leila and the light from his hand healed her. Leila stood to face the other woman. "Give?" Jeleia asked. "No. It was Relena's strike, not one of ours that knocked us both out." Leila told her, emphasizing both. "The air is too thick here for a full combat. The attacks will be contained if they touch. Pick a higher battleground." "Mount Etna," Jeleia replied.  
***  
Mount Etna, Italy, Dimension Three The other senshi and pilots gathered at the base of the mountain while Universe and Shadow stood across from each other on opposite sides of the crater. Again, the crystal appeared over Universe's hand. A small breeze of darkness flowed around Shadow. They nodded to each other, then raised their arms, crying out, "Universe Star Crystal Blast!"  
  
"Shadow Form Eclipse!" Both warriors used their weakest attacks. The two streams of energy coursed together, colliding head on. The thin air reflected the blasts. Universe's bounced up and arced into space. Shadow's flashed down into the mouth of the volcano. The world exploded around them. 


	4. Shdaow Eternity

Shadow Eternity  
  
By: Night Star  
Moon Kingdom, 90000 BC, Dimension Three "I hope you won't need me anytime soon. I'm going to Varl for a while." Leila told the monarch, leaning casually against a pillar. Neo-Queen Serenity looked at the tall woman questioningly. "Gabriella is still here on the moon and she told me that she was planning to stay here for a little longer." She commented. "I know, but as long as Milliardo is off on this latest mission and Elizabeth is training to become the next Sailor Shadow, I intend to clean up that apartment I have on Varl. The mansion on Earth is too large for just me. I think I deserve a small vacation, Usagi." Serenity smiled. "More than deserve it. You've helped me since before we resurrected the Diamond Era as the Silver Millennium. You're one of the best warriors we have." Leila bowed self-mockingly and left to the sound of the queen's chuckle.  
Mount Pompeii, Varl, Dimension Three Leila sighed happily as she hiked up the mountainside. She had finally finished her cleaning that morning. The apartment was spotless, and Leila had gone out to commune with this beautiful, peaceful planet. She stopped and sat down on a rock, enjoying the evening. She leaned back, looking up at the stars. She had never left the Terran system, and she longed to explore the vast expanse above her. Leila toyed with the idea of begging Milliardo to lend her the modified Tallgeese so she could go to that silvery sea that beckoned to her. Leila abruptly sat upright with a low cry. A meteor streaked downward practically on top of her, crashing into the top of the mountain at full force. Leila waited until the tremors stopped then dashed to the site. She stopped, gasping in shock. There was no extraterrestrial natural rock, but a huge fortress. Cautiously, she sent a ray of thought into the building. Her mind reeled as Chaos struck, sending her mental capacities into a torrent. After several minutes of the wild turmoil in Leila's mind, the enemy released her grip, filling Leila's mind with nothingness. The horribleness of an empty mind tore into her consciousness. Leila screamed, her body dropping like a stone, and Leila's prone form rolled down the mountainside, bouncing off rocks. As the half-dead senshi fell her body becoming as abused as her mind, Zandramas laughed.  
***  
Milliardo found her there, having just returned and gone looking for his wife. He carefully picked her up and healed her. Leila whimpered with the pain in her head. Gently he held her, soothing her until she could think and open her eyes. Weakly, she focused on him. "I need to talk to Usagi and Gabriella immediately." She said. "In the morning. I'm exhausted and God knows what happened to you." He replied, gently. "Please! Can't you feel the aura?" She pleaded. "The only thing I feel is this infernal heat, and the only thing I want to feel is a soft pillow, a couple of sheets, and you curled up next to me." He told her teasingly. She chuckled slightly. Tenderly, he carried her to the apartment. She was asleep before they arrived, and he wondered what on tranquil Varl could have done this to his mate.  
Moon Kingdom, Dimension Three As soon as Neo-Serenity accepted audience requests the next morning, Leila entered. The queen was speaking with Gabriella. Nearby stood Molly Shields; a younger sister of Mamoru's whom they had discovered in the course of the battles. She was transformed into her own senshi form as Sailor Earth. She took one look at Leila's face and interrupted the two rulers. Gabriella turned to Leila with a smile for her friend. "Zandramas is in solar system." Leila announced. "She has a fortress parked at the top of Pompeii, Varl." There was a moment of absolute silence, then Neo-Queen Serenity said flatly, "Leila, if that's meant to be one of your jokes, it's in bad taste." "It's not a joke! I saw the fortress myself!" Leila said. She knew that they wouldn't believe her if she told them that Chaos had attacked her. No one had ever survived an attack by the enemy. Leila knew she had only been lucky; for some reason Chaos wanted her left alive. Serenity looked stunned, and said softly, "But.she can't be on Varl, as peaceful as that planet is- " "That's probably why she chose it!" Gabriella stepped forward to end the argument. "I will return with you. I should check on my planet."  
Pompeii, Varl, Dimension Three As the women landed, Gabriella clutched at Leila's arm. "There is an extreme evil in my planet!" Gabriella said in a hushed voice. "Even the darkness is repulsed by this," Leila replied. She led her friend up the mountain and showed her the fortress. "Do you believe me now?" Leila asked, firmly. "Zandramas is here! We have to get her out of this planet!" "NO!" Gabriella cried out. Leila turned to look at her. Gabriella finished quietly; "I will not allow violence on my planet! If we leave her be, maybe she'll leave. Zandramas thrives on savagery." "So you'll allow her to get a foothold in our system?" Gabriella sighed and they warped back to Earth's moon.  
Moon Kingdom, Dimension Three "Well," Neo-Serenity asked. "What did you find?" Gabriella paused. She knew that if word got out, Varl would become a battleground. "Nothing. There was nothing to be found on Varl."  
  
***  
For the following months, Leila watched in despair as the evil swallowed the planet she loved. Gabriella continued to deny the presence of Chaos on Varl. The two former best friends argued constantly.  
Unity Park, Varl, Dimension Three "The shadows are screaming! Varl is polluted by this evil!" Gabriella opened her mouth to reply, but her face contorted into a look of pain. She reached and began to claw at her throat. Leila watched in horror as a wave of darkness wrapped itself around her friend. Gathering her will together, Leila began to blast, trying to destroy the evil that encircled Gabriella. Haruka had been on her way to find her fellow warriors. She came around the curve of the park to see Leila attacking Gabriella. Shadows climbed the girl's body, eating the woman alive in Leila's trademark attack that she saved only for hated opponents. Haruka gasped in horror. Leila turned to her, her features pulled into an expressionless mask. "Get off of Varl. Now." "What are you planning?" Haruka returned, preparing to knock Leila out. "Forgive me," Leila answered, and attacked Haruka. She picked up her unconscious friend and carried her to Miranda Castle. Haruka's mate met her at the entrance to the vast palace. "I sensed you coming." He told her. "I'm sorry. Please, keep her out of my way. I'm about to do something horrible." The tall being took Haruka from Leila. "I understand. I was once the Daimao. It is now your turn. Good luck, Leila." Leila bowed to the former Kami of Earth, with a small smile. She then left the planet Uranus. Using the vacuum shield that all senshi could generate, she floated just outside of the gravitational pull of the fifth planet. Slowly, she raised her arms and destroyed the planet Varl, creating an asteroid belt in that instant. "Now Zandramas can not advance. Her invasion force is annihilated." Leila sighed, allowing her body to drop to the largest asteroid. She lay there, trying to recover from the massive surge of energy. In her mind, she replayed the events of the day, continuously. 'I would be too arrogant to assume that I had killed Zandramas. I may have done some damage, but not much.' She thought, then suddenly sat upright again. She leapt to her feet, staring around at the remains of the peaceful planet, her entire body frigid with a dreadful feeling. ''She was strong enough to attack and kill a senshi on her own planet? Zandramas was showing off! She's already expanded off planet and I destroyed Varl for nothing!' Lady Shadow cast herself back down, crying over the remains of the dead planet.  
***  
Mt. Etna, Present Day, Dimension Three Twilight swore and sent a stream of power, half light and half dark, up the mountain. It formed a dome across the crater, preventing the eruption. She sighed and sat down. "Kami help you, sister-mine." She murmured too quietly for anyone else to hear.  
At the top of the mountain, Leila weakly stood and walked to Jeleia's unconscious body. She raised her arms in preparation for her trademark attack. At the bottom of the peak, Glana gasped and covered her eyes. Treize supported her as she began to slump. Leila's mind and physical being burned with hatred as she remembered the torture of thousands of years ago. Her power began to build. More of the senshi looked away in their terror of this woman and what she was about to do to Sailor Universe. Suddenly, Leila's muscles relaxed. She lowered her arms and allowed her powers to dissipate. She looked down at the warrior at her feet. Jeleia's hair had gone from the platinum white of the creator goddess to the vibrant red of the teenaged girl who raced Heero, who attended Juuban High, who was a friend of those Leila had loved.and still did. "I guess we now know who is the better fighter." She said. Leila's body shimmered and disappeared as she left the battlefield.  
Van Allen Belt, Dimension Three The woman stopped, her black gown floating around her. She landed on the asteroid that had once been a part of the core of the planet. She knelt and touched it. "Gabriella, give me strength. I don't know if I have the power to do this." She rose and left the planetary debris to hover in space. Softly, the woman said, "Shadow Force Dawn." The asteroids came together and, with a soft glow, fitted into one another, coalescing into a planet again. It shone out, and the natural flora and wildlife was reborn, evolution taking place in moments. With a smile, the creator- destroyer dropped to the planet's surface.  
Charon Castle, Council Hall, Dimension Three "Setsuna, this is the second High Council meeting you've called in about a month!" Duo complained. Pluto chuckled. "I didn't call this one," She said as she sat down. Uranus stepped to the front, to the astonishment of everyone. Most of the time she merely sat and observed. "In the year ninety-thousand before the Common Era, tragedy struck this system. Lady Leila Daegil, known as the Queen of Shadow, destroyed the planet Varl. She is accused of killing Gabriella, also called Sailor Varl, and the reigning sovereign of this aforementioned planet. I accused her myself as the only senshi witness. The mortal wounds that killed Gabriella were a part of what is considered to be Leila's trademark attack. "Recall if you will, the mentioned time period. Lady Leila warned us that Zandramas, our eternal enemy, was in the system. She destroyed the planet Varl in an attempt to halt Zandramas. The attempt failed. Two years later, the Silver Millennium fell. "During the battle, our warriors were killed by Zandramas. Leila was on the other side of the Cosmos.slowly dying from the effects of torture." She paused, looking directly at Universe, who bowed her head in shame. Uranus then continued. "It could not have been Leila, yet her attack was used. Our fighters died as their own shadows ate them alive. Minako met this fate. Apparently, Zandramas could use the same power the Lady Shadow used against youma. "I remember the day of Gabriella's death. As I thought about it, I realized that the qualities of the darkness were different that day. There was malice in the shadow that swallowed Gabriella. The power Leila was using was muffled, as if she were trying to avoid hurting Sailor Varl; only to stop an attack. "I believe that Lady Leila only had the best interests of us all in mind when she performed these actions. I move that she be reinstated as Sailor Shadow." There was a deathly silence, broken only by the sound of the great doors opening. A soft voice said from the doorway. "I second the motion." With an almost universal gasp, the senshi turned to face Sailor Varl as she walked across the room. She curtsied to Serenity and Endymion and took her traditional seat. Even jealous Neptune forgave the wide grin on Uranus's face as she asked, "All in favor?" The chorus of assent was deafening.  
A Tokyo Apartment, Dimension Three Milliardo took off his jacket, closing the door behind him. He gave a small smile as he remembered the Council meeting of that morning. His Leila always triumphed, even when she wasn't present. He glanced down at the deed for a certain mansion he held in his hand. His smile turned to a grieved sigh. No one had seen Leila since the battle at the mouth of the volcano. He didn't know if it had been her who had restored Varl. If it had been her, was she now dead from the mammoth transfer of power? Yes, he would still have his daughter with him at the mansion, but it wouldn't be the same without his wife. He tossed the jacket on the couch and looked around. He still needed to pack to move. Elizabeth was already at the mansion. She had simply gone on a shopping spree and left all of her old stuff at the Chateau in the twenty-sixth dimension. Milliardo was already dreading the credit card bill. Sure, he could afford it, but what was this fascination his daughter had with shopping? There was a knock at the apartment door. He set down the deed and went to answer the door. If it was one of the pilots, he could help with the move. Milliardo pulled open the door and stopped in surprise. A brown haired woman stood there. Nervously, she pushed a strand of hair from her face. When he didn't say anything, she dropped her eyes and began to turn away. "I'm sorry. I just stopped by to apologize." She said. "I never meant to hurt you." Milliardo caught her arm and turned her around to face him. "Leila," He started to say more, but found he was pulling her against him, kissing her hungrily. When they pulled away, he swung her up into his arms and carried her into the apartment. He looked down at her and laughed. "What?" She demanded. "I was just thinking that this would be romantic if you were in something other than blue jeans." He answered. "You!" She started to say, then broke off, smirking. "And if you weren't in khakis!" Milliardo held Leila tightly to him. "Welcome home, Sailor Shadow." 


End file.
